Silent toggle switch



March 2, 1954 I. ATTIAS 2,671,150 SILENT TOGGLE SWITCH Filed March 17, 1953 INVENTOR. 15/901? 1977645 Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,671,150

SILENT TOGGLE SWITCH Isidor Attias, Long Beach, N. Y. Application March 17, 1953, Serial No. 342,923

7 Claims.

The main object of this invention is the provision of a silent toggle switch, that is, a toggle switch which operates silently without the use of mercury.

Another object of the invention is the provision of silently operative circuit-closing and opening means actuated by a silent rocker arm or lever, the said means including a positive make and break member.

The above broad as well as additional and more specific objects will be clarified in the following description, wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that it is therefore neither intended nor desired to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details of construction shown except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a toggle switch in its housing, illustrating one form in which the switch of this invention may be mounted for installation.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional-view 'taken'on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-i of Fig. 2, showing the switch open.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to'Fig. 4, showing the switch closed.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the expansible contact element on the rocker arm.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'I'I of Fig. 3, showing, however, an alternative detail.

Referring in detail to thedrawing, the numeral It indicates a suitable-housing of any desired form or type, having the cover II thereof provided with a slot I2 through which the upper or finger end I3 of the rocker arm I4 projects and is longitudinally movable with respect to the slot.

Within the housing there is a compartment I5 into which the arm I4 extends. Approximately intermediate its length the arm has a transverse pin or shaft I 6 extending therethrough and projecting from both sides thereof. The ends of the shaft I6 register in recesses I1 cut out of the opposed housing walls I8, near the top thereof. Each wall I 8 of the housing has, extending downward from the base of the recess I I, a preferably cylindrical passage in which a coiled compression spring I9 registers. Loosely mounted in the spring I9, in the top thereof, is the reduced end of a peg or pin 2I which is urged, by the spring I9, against the adjacent end of the shaft I6, thereby providing frictional pressure against the shaft tending to maintain the same in its position.

Attached to the lower end of the rocker arm I4 is the resilient expansible contact member 22. This comprises a unitary strip of spring metal deformed into the general shape of a U having the two arms joined by the intermediate portion, shown respectively at 23 and 24. The latter has an upwardly extending tab 25 provided with one or more holes 26 therethrough, so that, by means of a screw or screws passed through the opening or openings 26, the member 22 may be secured to the bottom of the arm I4 in the manner illustrated.

The two arms 23 of the member 22 are further deformed to provide opposed substantially identical Wave-shaped spring members having at their free extremities co-planar opposed legs 21 having a greater length than the depth of the wave-like deformations of the arms 23.

In the lower-left-hand corner of the housing I0 (Fig. 2) a knife-like or wedge-shaped ridge 28 of insulating material, is provided, and this may be integral with the housing, as shown, if desired. It is now apparent that as the rocker is swung from the position shown in full lines in Fig.2 to that shown in broken lines, the tip edge of the ridge 28 will penetrate between the arms 23 of th member 22 and thus will spread the said arms and cause the legs 27 also to spread.

Imbedded in the walls I8 of the housing, on both sides of the ridge plates 29 provided with electric terminals 30 by means of which the switch is interposed in the as the legs 21 are spread,

electrical circuit. Thus, as mentioned above, they will securely contact and engage the plates 29 and thus close the circuit between the plates by means of the member 22.

For safer and sturdier end of the arm I4 is 23 thereof, registers, this recess having the wall 3| extending in front (that is, to the left) of the member 22, Fig. 5, and the walls 32 extending along the sides of the said member, the recess being open, or having no wall, at the rear, or at the right. However, at the junctions of the walls 32 with the wall 3i, open spaces 33 are provided through which the legs 21 may project, and the 28, are metallic contact.

adjacent flattened portions 35, as shown in Fig. 7',-

against which the pegs 2! will contact andengage in each of the said extreme positions of'tlie rocker. It is apparent from the above thatia silenn yet. sturdy and efficient toggle switch has been pro; vided, eliminating the common anddi'stur'bing' noisiness of the standard toggle switch;

Obviously, modifications in form or structure be ma e giihwt epar sin: e. spir t sqit s nvent o r I claim:

di ni resa e Swit QmP i' a e ng ffe a'iva lsa see er arm n sa d musin d x.- tending outward from the housing between said Wall aida e; h ving a i shaft ds p' l n s imediai th ng h ree e- ?fi .o te d es si t eans-nq mal y es t n 19,-, tational movement of said: shaft ends, the lower Q9 0 leisi im ey nsa qq ac mb r thereqnr aid contact membe cemp si s. a ub tanz can. u-sasss unitar s ell c sp in band senses; o he posed arms, an imam mediate lower end of said rocker arm a ridge substantially intheplane of pivotal motion of therockerarm,

ember be n po i e s en. a d.

d r m h ae1 e we nthe free ends f fisfinsf seil n as pla e oi sa d:

i l here hen. an ast rms w n fibin a nes qs r c a dwntanfmem e s clear ofsaid ridge through-an arc. toward said of the contact member and-spreadsthe same, said i 'l l t ha e r g ia slthe si direeends of aid.-

"2, 'Tlfe'itoggle switch set forth in claim 1', said opposed arms of said contact member having, opip'osed wave -like deformations therein.

resilient means comprising coiled compression "35 Thetoggleiswitch set'forth in claim 1, said,

springs, said-sidewall having passagesextending dowhwardftherein from the bases of said re? n s ng a c m a tment. nd i u v mes e a s dewa p r t y u po t n ai Pe ies minin ai pnnosed rmsaid housms av n ilia e t ut aced om. th

dge, penetrates; between said free ends.-

4 cesses, said coiled springs registering in said passages and having pegs mounted in the upper ends thereof, said pegs being urged by said springs into contact with said shaft ends.

4. The toggle switch set forth in claim 1, said joining portion of said contact member having a tab extending therefrom, and means for securing said tab to said rocker arm thereby mounting said contact member on the rocker arm.

5. The toggle switch set-forth inclaim l, the lower end" of said rocker arm having a recess therein having downwardly projecting side walls and a downwardly projecting front wall facing said. ridge. said front wall having an opening therethrou'gh for passage of said ridge therethrough;.saidl last-named side walls having openings therethropgh for passage of said legs therethrough;

6; The toggle switch set forth in claim 1, said electric contacts comprising metallic plates imbedded. in and flush with the opposed side walls ofthe housing; w

*7 A. silent toggle switch comprising a housing enclosing a compartment and including opposite side walls, a rocker arm in said-housing-andextend'ing. outward ir om l the. housing between said, side wanssam' arin having aligned shaft ends approximately intermediate the length thereof, recesses "in 'said' side walls pivotally supporting, Said Shaft s r ien mea s eqrm lr es s ing movement of saidshaft ends,thelowerlend ofis 1. a su s antial y:

ai 1 1 m ins ewmaet smbe thelaeo contact member comp ed unitary ms l spr nsan weaned;

ofiwo qs 'z r o ei si anfin m diate e s n:

50mins an sqsed, i 1h91 ins ha in one corner of said compartment .ridgesub n ent n:- he ans. vqtels m cni or he rocker mr eils ntsstme be eies p ioned on said rocker arm with the space betweentha free ends of the armsthereof lying in theplane of said ridge wherebywhen said rocker arm: is swung, r m; q i icn n hi aid; on act.

member isa lesr aid ldse hrcush a. rc-t0:

ward said ridge said ridge penetrates between said free n s ir he sn ast smber anispreadsthe same,'said compartment having electric contact plates thereinon, both sides, of; said ridge, said free ends of said contact member having, legs;

thereon extending in. opposite; directions at right angles to said ridge, said legsupon spreading ofsaid f '-ee. Q oi sa dl cont-act. membe; bang spreadintc contact with said plates.

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References Cited iflj th file: f this, pat nt, Uni ing graying, PM'ENTSH Number Name Date 1,743,374 Morey .l Jan, 143-1 930 2,253,968 Cook Aug; 26, 1941 2,254,347 Blakesley Sept. 2; 1941 

